I'm looking into getting a canister light. I'd love to be able to try different models side by side before buying. Heck, I'd like to just try one before buying. However, that isn't going to happen. How does the brightness of the 10W HID lights compare with the 18W lights? Also OMS makes a 21W HID (as well as a 10W). Does anyone have any experience with that? Thanks
10W vs 18W HID
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The members of my dive club have an assortment of 10W HID and 18W HID lights (I personally have a 10W). Underwater, the difference between the two lights is very noticable. Also, if you're looking at Halcyon/EE lights, the 10W head has a somewhat checkered reliability history. Mine has worked perfectly, but I know of several others that have been back to the factory once or twice. Halcyon has been very good about repairing the lights, but it still takes two or three weeks, along with shipping charges to Florida.
I have an OMS 21w HID light, it's considerably brighter that the previous 10w Dive rite light I had. The other feature on the OMS which I like is the adjustable focus.....there are others that have focusable light heads, none that I'm aware of in a 10w light head.
RichLockyer
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Dive-Rite still makes the test-tube style 10w, which is focusable, unlike the MR11 head. The Halcyon 10w heads have always been adjustable... originally test-tube, and now enclosed but still adjustable. Still, it uses the same WA 10w lamp as the Light Cannon and seems to have similar reliability issues. For some reason, the MR11 lamps don't seem to have the same reliability problems, but you give up adjustability.
Terkel also makes a nice looking 10w unit at a decent price. It's adjustable, and looks like it uses a larger reflector (more like the Light Cannon), and most have reported than it seems brighter than the EE 10w lights.
Personally? I bit the bullet and traded my AUL MR11 10w up to an EE 18w Helios 9.
Ouch $$$
DIR Tec Diver
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Rich
You bit the bullet, but I guarantee you did not regret it did you? The 18w is fantastic, just a dream. I had to upgrade to the 13.5 to get the extra battery time, but it actually balanced me out much better with my trim which was a nice little bonus.
You bit the bullet, but I guarantee you did not regret it did you? The 18w is fantastic, just a dream. I had to upgrade to the 13.5 to get the extra battery time, but it actually balanced me out much better with my trim which was a nice little bonus.
RichLockyer
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Haven't had it in the water yet. I considered the 13.5, but instead elected for the 9 with a spare battery pack.
I got used to being able to turn my 10w AUL with 12ma SLA on when I left the dock and turn it off when I pulled back into my driveway
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